The constant chatter and football nous of Parramatta captain-coach Jordan Rankin are what his Eels teammates like most about him as they push for a spot in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup finals in September.
Rankin, who boasts 40 NRL games with the Gold Coast and Wests Tigers alongside 120 for Super League clubs Hull KR, Huddersfield and Castleford, found himself elevated to captain-coach of the Eels for the Round 15 game against the Bears in June.
That followed Ryan Carr being promoted to the NRL assistant job following the departure of David Kidwell.
The mid-season change of leadership could have thrown things out of kilter.
But it was Rankin’s established leadership at both fullback and halfback that has seen a smooth transition, according to teammates Jayden Yates and Elie El-Zakhem.
The Eels are sitting in fifth spot on The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup ladder with a 3-3 win-loss record since Rankin, 30, took over.
One of those losses was by a 78th minute field goal to Panthers halfback Trent Toelau.
There are three rounds left – the Rabbitohs (12 August), Bulldogs (20 August) and Knights (26 August) – before finals start on 3 September.
“He’s doing a great job,” Yates said.
“He’s playing very good footy and then he does his other role of organising us all and encouraging us.
“He’s the best talker on the field. And that’s the advantage of having your coach right there with you.
“He’s got a lot of pull with the team obviously, so he really gets the spine going, especially the halves and hooker.
“Our last three games we’re expecting to be close to finals footy level, so we’re prepared for that.”
Second-rower El-Zakhem said Rankin had already earned the trust of players before becoming their coach.
“It’s actually great; he’s one of the boys but has our utmost respect as well,” El-Zakhem said.
“We didn’t really notice a difference to be honest.
“Even when Ryan Carr was coaching Jordan was really involved. But having Jordan on the field means he sees what’s going on up close.
“That helps him to be a better coach as well.”
El-Zakhem has scored 13 tries in his 42-game NSW Cup career – six of those in 2022.
He has played two Tests (2019, 2022) for Lebanon, and played alongside the likes of Tim Mannah, Robbie Farah, Michael Lichaa, Reece Robinson and Jacob Kiraz previously, and hopes to be selected for the Cedars World Cup squad later this year.
“I played a couple of times for them – learnt a lot,” he said.
“Hopefully I get that opportunity again.”
